Pallet with composite components

ABSTRACT

A pallet comprising a first deck, a second deck, and a plurality of block members connecting the first and second decks together to form a pallet. The block members include at least one recycled thermoplastic component including at least about 20% by weight of a recycled nylon carpet material.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/564,443 filed on Sep. 22, 2009, which is a continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/277,560 filed on Mar. 27, 2006, nowabandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 11/184,709 filed on Jul. 19, 2005, now abandoned.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a pallet, and more particularly, apallet having recycled components.

BACKGROUND

The common wooden and plastic industrial pallets are generally known inthe art. Such pallets, however, have several shortcomings in regards tocost, quality, limitations of their use, and ease of manufacture. Woodenpallets are typically constructed by sandwiching wooden block membersbetween two similar decks or surfaces. Since the aesthetic appearance ofpallets may not outweigh the cost, they may often include scrap orrecycled wood. The surfaces may be made of a continuous sheet or, morecommonly, have a plurality of wooden boards typically arranged in aparallel manner. Generally, the surfaces and blocks are stacked orarranged to provide apertures suitable for access by the tines of aforklift truck or pallet jack from at least one side. In certaininstances, the tines of a fork-lift truck make contact with the blockmembers during alignment. If the force is significant, the block memberscan be damaged.

By its nature, ordinary wood may be subject to swelling, warping,shrinkage, splintering, deterioration and fungal or bacterial growthafter exposure to moisture and other elements. Pallets assembled withinferior quality wood blocks and/or boards may lead to potential cargodamage.

Attempts to overcome the drawbacks of ordinary wooden pallets withplastic pallets have been faced with similar shortcomings. Prior designsof plastic pallets have had to deal with issues such as the trade offbetween cost and weight bearing capability. Typically, plastic palletsdesigned with a significant weight bearing capability have tended to beboth heavy and expensive. In the same manner, inexpensive plasticpallets have had both strength and durability issues.

In recent times, society has expended significant efforts on continuingthe development of more environmentally-friendly methods for reusingvarious synthetic and plastic materials. It is therefore desirable toprovide a long-life pallet at least partially derived from recycledcomponents and having outstanding physical attributes that is relativelyinexpensive and can be manufactured with relative ease. Specifically, itis desirable to provide a low cost pallet that meets and exceedsstringent strength and design standards.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides a pallet comprising a first deck, asecond deck, and a plurality of block members connecting the first andsecond decks together to form a pallet. The block members include atleast one recycled thermoplastic component including at least about 20%by weight of a recycled nylon carpet material.

The present disclosure also relates to a pallet including a first deckcomprising a first plurality of cross members, and a second deckcomprising a second plurality of cross members. A plurality of blockmembers connect the first and second decks together to form the pallet.At least one block member and at least one cross member of the first orsecond plurality of cross members include at least one recycledthermoplastic component having at least about 20% by weight of arecycled nylon carpet material.

In another embodiment, a pallet is provided comprising at least one deckand a plurality of extruded block members fastened to the deck by screwsor nails. The block members are formed using extrusion techniques from amixture including polypropylene and at least about 50% by weight of arecycled carpet material containing tufts of nylon 6 or nylon 6,6.

Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the descriptionprovided herein. It should be understood that the description andspecific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and arenot intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure will become more fully understood from thedetailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pallet in accordance with teachings ofthe present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a pallet according to thepresent disclosure and showing individual components thereof;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a first block member comprising recycledmaterial according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the block member of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the block member of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second block member according to thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 7 is a top view of the block member of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a side view of the block member of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a third block member according to thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 10 is a side view of the block member of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a top view of the block member of FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a fourth block member according to thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 13 is a top view of the block member of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a side view of the block member of FIG. 12; and

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a fifth block member according to thepresent disclosure.

It should be noted that the figures set forth herein are intended toexemplify the general characteristics of an apparatus, materials, andmethods among those of this disclosure, for the purpose of thedescription of such embodiments herein. These figures may not preciselyreflect the characteristics of any given embodiment, and are notnecessarily intended to define or limit specific embodiments within thescope of this disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description of the present disclosure is merely exemplaryin nature and is in no way intended to limit the disclosure, itsapplication, or uses. For purposes of clarity, it should be understoodthat throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicatelike or corresponding parts and features.

In various embodiments, the present disclosure provides a palletincluding a first deck, a second deck and a plurality of block membersconnecting the first and second decks together. The block members, andoptionally certain boards or cross members of the decks, may comprise ahigh strength composite material including at least one recycledthermoplastic component, preferably including at least 20% by weight ofa recycled nylon carpet material. The recycled nylon carpet materialparticles may be present in an amount up to about 50% by weight, or upto about 75% or even 90% by weight, including a major portion of nylon 6and/or nylon 6,6 depending on the specific design. In variousembodiments, such nylon material is provided in an amount from about 80%to about 85% by weight. The composite material has excellent resistanceto chemicals, including strong solvents, and is not moisture or odorabsorbent. Such composite blocks and/or cross member boards containingrecycled materials according to the present disclosure are robust andrugged in construction, configured to withstand the weight of goodsstacked on them and to withstand the impact of truck forks driven intothem as a result of misalignment. A pallet comprising such compositematerial also has the capability of being fitted with RFID technology.

Various conventional nylon based carpeting useful with the presentdisclosure typically includes at least three primary components, namelya plurality of tufts formed from nylon, at least one backing typicallyformed from polyolefins such as polypropylene, and an adhesive materialapplied as a latex and typically filled with an organic filler such ascalcium carbonate. In various embodiments, the nylon tufts include amajor portion of nylon 6; nylon 6,6; or blends or copolymers thereof.While this multi-component carpet product may present challenges totypical recycling efforts due to the varying chemical and physicalcharacteristics of its individual components in different forms, suchnylon containing carpet, both new and used, is useful in the preparationof a composite material for use in a pallet according to the presentdisclosure. If desired, various methods are known in the art useful forconverting an “unseparated” carpet into a thermoplastic material formedfrom a melt blend of the materials which originally comprised thecarpet. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,384 to David et al. which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a processfor forming a thermoplastic composition from carpet wherein a carpetsample is melted and blended without separating the carpet into itsvarious parts.

The composite material may also include various plastic materials inaddition to that in the recycled nylon carpet. As used herein, “plasticmaterial” includes, but is not limited to, plastic materials suitablefor use in a high strength composite material for a pallet, such asthermoplastic polymers resistant to many chemical solvents, bases andacids, for example, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyurethane,polyvinylchloride, and poly(ethylene terephthalate). The plasticmaterial may also include various types and grades of nylon, such asnylon 6 and nylon 6, 6. Recycled nylon can be obtained from manyindustrial type sources, for example from automotive uses, such as nylongears; rubber textiles; and rubber fabrics. The plastic may be selecteddepending on the specific pallet design, load capacity, and otherrequirements. In various embodiments, the block members may bemanufactured with either recycled components alone or combination withat least one prime or virgin material. Thus the composite material mayinclude various grades of virgin plastic, recycled plastic, and mixturesthereof.

In various embodiments, the composite material of the present disclosurecomprises at least 20% by weight of recycled nylon carpet material. Inone embodiment, the composite material includes a major portion of nylon6 and nylon 6,6, for example up to about 50% by weight, in someembodiments, up to about 80% by weight. According to other embodimentsdetailed below, the composite material may comprise greater than about20% by weight of natural material particles, or greater than about 50%by weight, or even greater than 80% by weight. It should be understoodthat all weight percentages described herein can be increased ordecreased between 0% and 100% for a desired composite material,depending on the specific design and selection of materials, and thesevariations are within the scope of the present disclosure.

In various embodiments, the composite material may further include atleast one ground recycled material selected from the group consisting ofbottling containers, automotive rubber and plastic components,agricultural films, rubber and rubber tires, fabrics, textiles,reclaimed paper, sanitary paper products, and mixtures thereof. Invarious embodiments, the block members may be manufactured with suchrecycled components alone or combination with at least one prime orvirgin material. In most instances, the recycled materials are shreddedprior to use, as opposed to being in their original size and shape.Shredding would include any type of cutting, grinding, chopping, orother reducing operation that cuts or tears apart recyclable materials,or any portion thereof, to create smaller pieces for use in thecomposite material of the present disclosure.

As used herein, bottling containers may include typical recycledfluorinated plastic containers or PET type containers including, forexample, those commonly used to store and/or transport various liquids.Automotive rubber and plastic components may include any and allsuitable recyclable materials derived from automobiles and/or automotiveequipment. Rubber includes industrial rubber compounds, such as thosetypically derived from polystyrene, polybutadiene, andpoly(styrene-butadiene-styrene) or SBS. “Rubber tires” generally refersto vehicular tires of the type used by automobiles, tractors, etc.

As used herein, an “agricultural film” generally includes, but it notlimited to, a film formed from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polycarbonate(PC), a polyethylene thermoplastic resin, such as polyethylene (PE), lowdensity polyethylene (LDPE), or an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, orother such suitable films formed from a polyester resin that may be usedfor forming, for example, a greenhouse or a plastic tent, since suchfilms exhibit excellent transparency, heat-insulating ability, andmechanical strength. These resin type films typically cannot be used fortheir intended purpose for a long period of time because ofdeterioration caused by UV rays, for example, impairment of transparencyor breakage of the film. Thus, they may be suitably cleaned and shreddedprior to being used in the recycled composite material of the presentinvention.

The composite material may also include paper stock, reclaimed “waste”paper (so-called recycled papers), de-inked paper stock, paper shavingsor cuttings, and the like. The reclaimed papers may be shredded andincluded “as-is” or may otherwise be mechanically disintegrated in waterto produce a pulp suspension, after which foreign materials may beremoved. De-inked paper stock may be used from printed and/or unprintedreclaimed papers by means of mechanical disintegration, and may betreated with chemicals and dispersing agents. In general, certainsecondary pulps may be of shorter fiber length and somewhat lower instrength than the original pulp; therefore, they may be used eitheralone or combination with prime or virgin fibers. Paper shavings andcuttings (e.g., from binderies) may also be used.

In various embodiments, the composite material may include recycledsanitary paper products. As used herein, “sanitary paper products” mayinclude various absorbent sanitary products, such as disposable babydiapers, that can be separated into such products suitable for use as arecycled material. Numerous treatment processes for recovering usableportions of such items are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No.5,558,745 to Conway et al. discloses a treatment process for separatingcomponents suitable for recycling from absorbent sanitary papersproducts and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

As previously discussed, the composite material of the presentdisclosure may include a natural material, such as wood, its shavings,or mulch in addition to the recycled nylon carpet and other materials.As used herein, a “natural material” typically includes wood, forexample, material from a tree, including but not limited to leafmaterial, branch material, trunk material, bark material, needlematerial, and root material. As used herein, the term “wood” includes,but is not limited to, any hard and soft wood trees, and includes woodparticles, fibers, strands, dust, scraps, and products made there from.The wood particles used in the present disclosure may be elongatedshapes having a width or average particle size that is about ¼ (0.25)inch or less. In various embodiments, the width is 1/16 (0.0625) inch orless, and even more preferably, 1/32 (0.03125) inch or less. It shouldbe understood that the average particle size can be increased ordecreased, depending on the specific design and selection of materials,and these variations are within the scope of the present disclosure. Itshould further be noted that the average particle size is not based onthe total number of particles but rather is based on the weightpercentage of the material retained in measuring sieve trays in relationto the total sieved material weight. Natural material particles oftenhave unequal dimensions, for example a length greater than a width. Insuch circumstances, a particle size refers to at least one dimensionhaving the specified size. Particle size distribution can be determinedusing Gaussian distribution, or other methods known in the art.

Optional non-limiting additives for the composite material may includecolorants, UV protectors, flame and fire retardants, lubricants, soaps,various inert fillers, reinforcements (including, for example, natural,synthetic, and glass fibers), polymerization initiators, couplingagents, and other additives known in the art. Foaming agents may also beused to reduce overall mass and save on raw materials and weight.Additionally, the composite material is recyclable to itself as filler.In particular, the use of coupling agents in the composite matrix mayimprove thickness swell and increase the resistance to UV exposure andsurface popping. Coupling agents increase the bond between the naturaland plastic materials which typically increases the stiffness andstrength by up to about 30%. Alternatively, if it is not desirable touse a coupling agent, the average particle size can be slightlydecreased to maintain an equivalent strength.

In certain embodiments, and preferably where the composite material isused to manufacture sheet boards that are subsequently cut into leadboards, it may be desirable to use larger size recycled particles andinclude the use of reinforcing natural or wood fibers. Such fibers maybe used having an average length of about ⅜ inch, ½ inch, ¾ inch, oreven greater as desired. In various embodiments, it may also bedesirable to include continuous, uni-directional reinforcing fibers,such as silicon-based fiberglass or other inorganic or organic fibers.These continuous fibers would extend substantially parallel to and runalong with the direction of the cross-members to provide additionalstrength.

The wood particles may be processed in a hammer mill using a desiredscreen size. This enables distribution of the wood material product in asubstantially even manner for use with the recycled components in thecomposite material. In various embodiments, the particles have a randomorientation in the final product, although with some embodiments usingextrusion techniques it may be desired to have a process-specificorientation. Further, if reinforcing fibers are used, it may be desiredto align the fibers for increased strength.

The manufacture of the composite material of the present disclosure intovarious geometries is preferably achieved using typical press methods,compression, injection molding, and/or extrusion techniques known in theart. Typically, any wood or natural materials are first passed through amill to obtain a desired particle size. The recycled and/or virginplastic materials are provided in a form suitable for mixing with thenatural materials, for example, in the form of a fluid, pellet, flake,powder, or the like. In certain embodiments, the particles arepre-densified before use. As will be discussed in more detail, in oneembodiment, the composite material is manufactured having a board orpanel geometry suitable for use as cross members and/or lead boardmembers for the upper and/or lower deck of the pallet. In anotherpreferred embodiment, the composite material is manufactured having ablock or post geometry for use as supporting blocks that join the upperand lower decks to one another.

Typical press methods, if optionally used, rely on at least one pressand include suitable pneumatic, mechanical and/or hydraulic presses thatprocess wood/plastic mixtures into, for example, a block or a compositeboard. As is known in the art, a press typically includes an upperplaten and a lower platen. At least one platen is driven upward ordownward by a drive mechanism. A composite material assembly ispositioned between the upper and the lower platens. A typical compositematerial press assembly may include a lower caul plate, a frame, thecomposite mixture and an upper caul plate. According to one embodimentof the present disclosure, at least one of the platens is heated to atemperature sufficient to melt the plastic component of the compositematerial. Heating of the platen(s) occurs optionally before or afterengagement of the drive mechanism. In one embodiment, both platens areheated prior to application of pressure to the composite mixture.Preferably, the drive mechanism drives the lower platen upwards untilthe upper platen contacts the upper caul plate and compresses thecomposite mixture.

The plastic components of the composite material mixture may melt fromthe heat and disperse throughout the discontinuous wood phase. Thecomposite material may essentially form a slurry of liquid plastic andwood particles. Preferably, air (and any other gas that may be present)exits the composite mixture during this process or it is alternativelycompressed and trapped within the slurry. The slurry is typically of adensity greater than that of the composite mixture and occupies a lesservolume than the mixture. The slurry may then be cooled and forms arelatively rigid composite product, such as a board. Rigidity andstrength of the final product will depend upon the thickness, the typeof plastic used, the ratio of natural and plastic materials, the amountand pressure of any entrained gas, and whether a reinforcing material,such as rods, bars, organic or inorganic continuous fibers, or a mesh,is incorporated into the slurry. It should be understood that caution isrequired when positioning the materials into the press to avoidsegregation of the wood and plastic materials. Minimized segregationoften forms a higher quality composite board.

In certain embodiments, any wood preparation methods and press and/orextrusion methods can be combined into one production process. Forexample, a wood receiver can be used for receiving wood that istransported to a screen for screening out undesirable larger pieces ofwood. Once screened, the wood may be transported to a reducer forreducing the size of the screened wood. The reduced wood may betransported to a washer and/or screener that can optionally include are-chipper for further reduction of the screened wood particle size.Next, the washed wood may be flaked using an appropriate flaker andtransported to a flake receiver that optionally includes a heater and/ordryer and/or a dust burner. Flakes may then be transported to a grinderfor grinding and/or sizing of the wood. The ground wood is thentransported to a sifter for sifting fines from larger pieces of wood.Fines are transported to and stored in a fines receiver while the largerpieces are transported to and stored in a processed wood receiver. Thefines receiver and processed wood receiver can optionally use filters.The processed wood and/or fines are then ready for further processingand/or combination with the recycled and/or plastic components.

Recycled and/or plastic materials typically enter the production processthrough a secondary receiver. The materials in a secondary loader areoptionally transported to a storage receiver for storage and/or furtherprocessing. The storage receiver optionally includes a filter. Once therecycled and/or plastic material has been processed and/or stored, it isthen transported to a measurement system, for example, a weigh stationsystem and/or flow measurement system. The recycled materials, wood,and/or plastic may be transported to a blender for blending thecomponents together. The blended components may be transported to aproduction line that includes a press and/or an extruder. The productionline produces a final product or optionally has additional equipment forperforming additional steps for producing the final product. Forexample, the production line can optionally include an unloader and/orcooler; at least one trimmer and/or borer; at least one transfer and/orinspection unit; a sander; a paint unit, for example, for spray painting(if desired); an oven, for example, for curing paint and/or othercoating material; a grade station; and/or a stacker, for stackingproduct.

As shown in FIG. 1 and generally referenced by the number 10, the palletof the present disclosure has four peripheral sides 12, or edges,defining the perimeter. Preferably each side 12 is disposed at asubstantially right angle, thereby forming a rectangular shape. In onepreferred embodiment, the pallet is constructed having the industrystandard size and dimensions, which is currently 40 inches wide by 48inches long (1.0 m by 1.2 m), although it may be made in any desiredsize or shape. The pallet 10 includes an upper deck 14 and a lower deck16, each preferably being formed of a plurality of longitudinally andlaterally extending cross members 18 and lead boards 19. As shown, thelead boards 19 may be the same size as the remaining cross members 18,or slightly larger to provide suitable additional strength. Preferably,they have dimensions of about 5½ inches wide, 40 inches long and 11/16inches thick. Once assembled, the upper and lower decks 14, 16 are heldtogether with a plurality of separating members, or blocks, generallyreferenced by the number 20.

As previously mentioned, at least one of the block members 20, andoptionally certain cross members 18 of the decks, such as the leadboards 19, comprise the high strength composite material of thedisclosure. For example, in certain embodiments, the block members 20comprise the composite material, and the cross members 18 are standardwooden pieces. In other embodiments, the block members 20 and leadboards 19 comprise the composite material. In still other embodiments,each member of the pallet 10 can comprise the composite material. Itshould be understood that numerous combinations and designsincorporating composite material blocks 20 and composite board crossmembers 18 and lead boards 19 are possible, and all of the variationsare within the scope of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 depicts an exploded perspective view of the pallet 10 of FIG. 1,showing the individual components spaced apart from one another, andwhich comprise the upper deck 14, the lower deck 16, the cross members18, and the plurality of blocks 20. Each block 20 holds the upper andlower decks 14, 16 together, while bearing and distributing the cargoloads placed on the upper deck 14. In preferred embodiments, the blocks20 are mechanically fastened to the upper and lower decks, for example,with nails or screws. Preferably, there are nine blocks 20, aligned inthree rows of three, defining two apertures 22 on each side 12 of thepallet 10. Ideally, each pallet has four corner blocks 24, four mid-sideblocks 26, and one center block 28. The size of the apertures 22 willdepend upon the size and length of the blocks 20.

In various embodiments, the upper deck 14 defines a generally planarload bearing surface upon which objects and goods may be positioned fortransport and storage. The lower deck 16 defines a substantially planarbottom surface for the secure placement of the pallet on the ground orother resting surface. This also allows for the stable stacking of thepallet onto a similarly designed pallet. In certain embodiments, theupper and/or lower decks 14, 16 can comprise a continuous sheet ofmaterial (not shown). In these embodiments, a number of indentations andprojections such as ridges and channels (not shown) may be formed in thetop of the upper deck to allow for the drainage of any liquids that mayaccumulate thereon. Alternate embodiments may include further channelsconfigured to direct fluid to the sides of the pallet if necessary. Itshould be noted, however, that the number, orientation, size and shapeof any ridges or channels can be varied in many alternate configurationsfor optimized strength. Of course, the upper or lower deck 14, 16 mayalso have a continuous surface without apertures if so desired.

The load bearing surface may have a texture or an etched or imprintedgeometrical pattern thereon (not shown) that acts as a non-skid surfaceto prevent objects from sliding during transport. Alternatively, anysuitable type of friction tape or friction coating may be applied orlaminated to the load bearing surface in order to help prevent movementof objects on the pallet. The final pallet assembly may additionally beembossed, silk screened, painted, or printed with indicia such asgraphics, text, codes, brands, or the like if so desired.

Preferably, the lower deck 16 includes longitudinally and laterallyextending cross-members aligned and connected to form a substantiallyrectangular shaped outer frame. As shown, one arrangement of thecross-members includes two relatively large apertures 38 allowing airflow through the pallet and also for accommodating pallet jacks. Whileshown as substantially rectangular in shape, the apertures 38 may besized and shaped for other desired applications. Additionalcross-members may be used, depending upon the desired load capacity ofthe pallet 10. In alternate embodiments, the size and number ofapertures 38 will depend upon the placement and number of cross-membersused.

Preferably, the blocks 20 are of a sufficient size so that the apertures22 define a space suitable for access by the tines, or forks, of aforklift truck or pallet jack from any of the four sides 12 of thepallet 20. The current industry standard is to have apertures 22 with aseparation distance D of about 3.5 inches between the upper deck 14 andlower deck 16. Thus in one embodiment as shown in FIGS. 3-5, the blockshave a height H of about 3.5 inches, a width W of about 3.65 inches, anda length L of about 4.75 inches. For additional impact resistance, theblocks 20 may be provided with curved ends, thereby minimizing potentialdamage which may occur upon collision or brunt contact. Depending uponthe specific composite material and desired strength, small to mediumsize blocks 20 may vary in weight from about 0.5 to about 5 lbs or more,and preferably from about 1 to about 2 lbs, or about 1.5 lbs. The blocks20 may have a volume of from about 25 to about 75 in³ or more, andpreferably from about 40 to about 60 in³, or about 55 in³. In otherembodiments, it may be desirable to use larger scale blocks, for examplehaving a volume of from about 75 to about 130 in³ or more, andpreferably from about 110 to about 125 in³. These would typically have aweight of from about 4 to 5 lbs.

As shown in one non-limiting embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3-5, theblocks 20 may have an elongated elliptical shape, including a planar topsurface 30, a planar bottom surface 32, and two substantially circularside sections 34 sandwiching a substantially flat section 36. FIGS. 6-8illustrate another embodiment of a block member 20 according to thepresent disclosure. As best shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the block members 20may be provided with a plurality of alternating vertical channels 37 andridges 38. In various designs, the channels may have a depth of betweenabout 0.05 to about 0.2 inches, while the number and width of thechannels 37 and ridges 38 will vary based upon the total dimensions ofthe block member 20. FIGS. 9-11 illustrate still another embodiment of asolid block member 20 having a substantially square top 40 andcross-section with substantially rounded exterior corner areas 42. FIGS.12-14 illustrate yet another embodiment of a hollow block member 20. Asshown, the block member is provided with a substantially rectangularshaped top 44 with rounded corner areas 42 and having a hollow centerarea 46. FIG. 15 illustrates a variation of the embodiment of FIG. 6 andshows a block member having a plurality of alternating horizontalchannels 37 and ridges 38. It should be understood that the specificsize and shape of the composite block members 20 may be modified asnecessary and desired, and variations of the overall size and shape arewithin the scope of the present disclosure.

The description of the disclosure is merely exemplary in nature and,thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the disclosure areintended to be within the scope of the disclosure. Such variations arenot to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of thedisclosure.

1. A pallet comprising: a first deck; a second deck; and a plurality ofblock members connecting the first and second decks together to form apallet, the block members including at least one recycled thermoplasticcomponent including at least about 20% by weight of a recycled nyloncarpet material.
 2. The pallet according to claim 1, wherein the blockmembers further comprise natural material particles selected from thegroup consisting of: Apache Plume; Ash, single-leaf; Bitterbrush;Cliffrose; Fendlerbush; Juniper, one-seed; Juniper, rocky mountain;Mahogany, curl-leaf; Mahogany, mountain; Mock Orange; Ponderosa Pine;Mormon Tea; and mixtures thereof.
 3. The pallet according to claim 1,wherein the block members further comprise at least one recycledmaterial selected from the group consisting of polypropylene,polyethylene, polyurethane, polyvinylchloride, poly(ethyleneterephthalate), polystyrene, polybutadiene, and mixtures thereof.
 4. Thepallet according to claim 1, wherein the block members further compriseat least one recycled material selected from the group consisting ofbottling containers, automotive plastic components, agricultural films,rubber tires, fabrics, textiles, reclaimed paper, sanitary paperproducts, and mixtures thereof.
 5. The pallet according to claim 1,wherein at least one of the first and second decks comprises asubstantially rectangular frame having a plurality of longitudinally andlaterally extending cross members, further wherein at least one of theplurality of cross members comprises a composite material including atleast about 20% by weight of recycled nylon material.
 6. The palletaccording to claim 5, wherein the at least one cross member comprises alead board.
 7. The pallet according to claim 1, wherein the blockmembers comprise at least about 50% by weight of recycled nylon carpetmaterial.
 8. The pallet according to claim 7, wherein the block memberscomprise at least about 75% by weight of a recycled nylon carpetmaterial including a major portion of nylon 6 and/or nylon 6,6.
 9. Thepallet according to claim 1, wherein the block members further compriseat least one filler selected from the group consisting of colorants, UVprotectors, flame and fire retardants, lubricants, soaps, polymerinitiators, coupling agents, foaming agents, and mixtures thereof. 10.The pallet according to claim 1, wherein the block members are formedusing extrusion techniques.
 11. A pallet comprising: a first deckcomprising a first plurality of cross members; a second deck comprisinga second plurality of cross members; and a plurality of block membersconnecting the first and second decks together to form a pallet, whereinat least one block member and at least one cross member of the first orsecond plurality of cross members include at least one recycledthermoplastic component including at least about 20% by weight of arecycled nylon carpet material.
 12. The pallet according to claim 11,wherein the at least one cross member comprises a lead board.
 13. Thepallet according to claim 11, wherein the at least one block member andat least one cross member further comprise at least one recycledmaterial selected from the group consisting of polypropylene,polyethylene, polyurethane, polyvinylchloride, poly(ethyleneterephthalate), nylon, polystyrene, polybutadiene, and mixtures thereof.14. The pallet according to claim 11, wherein the at least one blockmember and at least one cross member further comprise at least onefiller selected from the group consisting of colorants, UV protectors,flame and fire retardants, lubricants, soaps, polymer initiators,coupling agents, wood fibers, foaming agents, and mixtures thereof. 15.The pallet according to claim 11, wherein the at least one block memberand at least one cross member further comprise at least one recycledmaterial selected from the group consisting of bottling containers,automotive plastic components, agricultural films, rubber tires,fabrics, textiles, reclaimed paper, sanitary paper products, andmixtures thereof.
 16. The pallet according to claim 11, wherein the atleast one block member and at least one cross member comprise at leastabout 75% by weight of a recycled nylon carpet material including amajor portion of nylon 6 and/or nylon 6,6.
 17. A pallet comprising: atleast one deck; and a plurality of extruded block members fastened tothe deck by screws or nails; wherein the block members are formed usingextrusion techniques from a mixture comprising polypropylene and atleast about 50% by weight of a recycled carpet material containing tuftsof nylon 6 or nylon 6,6.
 18. A pallet according to claim 17, wherein themixture further comprises at least one recycled material selected fromthe group consisting of: bottling containers, automotive plasticcomponents, agricultural films, rubber tires, fabrics, textiles,reclaimed paper, sanitary paper products, and mixtures thereof.
 19. Apallet according to claim 17, wherein the mixture further comprisesnatural material particles selected from the group consisting of: ApachePlume; Ash, single-leaf; Bitterbrush; Cliffrose; Fendlerbush; Juniper,one-seed; Juniper, rocky mountain; Mahogany, curl-leaf; Mahogany,mountain; Mock Orange; Ponderosa Pine; Mormon Tea; and mixtures thereof.20. A pallet according to claim 17, wherein the mixture furthercomprises ground natural particles selected from the group consistingof: whole trees, root particles, trunk particles, branch particles,needle particles, wood particles, and mixtures thereof.